Lunch box structure



June 30, 1964 R. R. cADoTTE LUNCH Box STRUCTURE Filed May 17, 1962 fev ma@ ,Mw

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A?? BY United States Patent O 3,139,179 LUNCH BOX STRUCTURE Raymond R. Cadotte, 10642 Garden Grove Blvd., Garden Grove, Calif. Filed May 17, 1962, Ser. No. 195,481 1 Claim. (Cl. 206-4) The present invention relates to lunch boxes generally and in particular to a lunch box in which the handle serves as a holder for salt and pepper shakers.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel lunch box structure having provision in the handle for supporting two canisters, one for salt and one for pepper.

Another object of the present invention is to provide in a lunch box, salt and pepper shakers that are readily accessible to the user.

A further object of the present invention is to provide in a lunch box structure, a handle which is simple in structure, one sturdy in construction, one having a novel means therein for holding salt and pepper shakers, and one which is economical to manufacture and assemble.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the annexed drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the lunch box structure according to the present invention,

FIGURE 2 is a view on an enlarged scale, of the handle of the lunch box shown in FIGURE 1, with portions broken away and with the pepper shaker removed therefrom,

FIGURE 3 is an exploded view partially in section of one of the condiment holders,

FIGURE 4 is an elevational view of one of the condiment holders with the cover removed,

FIGURE 5 is a view taken on the line 5 5 of FIG- URE 4,

FIGURE 6 is a view taken on the line 6--6 of FIG- URE 2, and on an enlarged scale, and

FIGURE 7 is a view taken on the line 7--7 of FIG- URE 2 and on an enlarged scale.

Referring to the drawing in detail, in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, in FIGURE 1 the reference numeral 10 designates the lunch box generally and which has a compartment section 12 and a cover section 14.

Secured to the top of the cover section 14 are a pair of trunnions 16 which form the means for securing a handle 18 to the section 14.

A pair of closed loop links 20 have their one ends pivotally connected to the free ends of the trunnions 16 and have their other ends pivotally connected to the handle 18 by means of tabs 22 which depend from the handle 18.

The present invention provides in the handle 18 an elongated hollow tubular member 24 open at both ends. A partition 26 within the member 24 sub-divides the member 24 into a large compartment 28 and a smaller compartment 30. A spring 32 is within the compartment 28 and has its one end secured to the partition 26. Another spring 34 is similarly positioned within the compartment and has its one end secured to the partition 26.

A canister 36 is insertable into and withdrawable from the compartment 28 and is of a size to conformably shape within the tubular member 24. Another canister 38 is insertable into and withdrawable from the compartment 30 and is also of a size to t within the tubular member 24. The canister 36 is of a larger size than the canister 38 but the structure of each is similar. As shown in FIG- ICC URE 3, the canister 38 consists in a receptacle 40 having an open top provided with a neck of thickened proportions with external threads 42 and internal threads 44. A closure element 46 has external threads 48 and is adapted for screwing into the open top of the receptacle 40.

As shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, the closure element 46 is provided with a plurality of spaced apertures 50 for the egress therethrough of the condiment to be held in the receptacle 40.

A cover member 52 is provided having internal threads 54 which engage the threads 42 on the receptacle 40. The cover member 52 is also provided on its periphery adjacent the threads 54 with diametrically opposed lugs 56 which cooperate with means on the tubular member 24 to secure the canister 38 within the handle 18 after insertion thereinto.

This cooperating means on each of the canisters 36 and 38 consists in the lugs 56 and bayonnet slots 58 provided adjacent each open end of the tubular member 24, the slots 58 being diametrically opposed at each end of the tubular member 24.

Each of the canister cover members 52 is provided with knurling, as at 60 in FIGURE 2, so as to provide gripping means for the fingers of the hand of the user for untwisting the cover member 52 from the adjacent end of the tubular member 24. Also, the ends of the lugs 56 of the canister 38 are of a dark color so as to indicate that the canister 38 is to contain pepper while the canister 36 contains salt.

In use, each of the canisters 36 and 38 are filled with their respective condiments and the closure elements 46 are inserted into the open tops of the receptacles and screwed on. Then the cover member 52 is threaded onto the neck of the receptacle 40 and the canisters 36 and 38 are in condition for insertion into 'the open ends of the tubular member 24 where they compress the springs 32 and 34, respectively, and permit their lugs 56 to be releasably engaged in the slots 58.

When it is desired to use one of the condiments it is only necessary to push in on the cover member 52, rotate the respective canister and let the spring 32 or 34 push the canister out to the position shown in FIGURE 2 for removal of the respective cover member 52 and shaking out of the condiment as desired.

While only a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown and described, other embodiments are contemplated and numerous changes and modications may be made in the invention within the scope of the claim without departing from the spirit of the inven` tion.

What is claimed is:

In a lunch box structure:

(a) an elongate tubular handle open at both ends, each end portions have a J-shaped slot formed therein;

(b) means pivotally connecting the under end portions of said handle to upper longitudinally aligned portions of said lunch box;

(c) a centrally disposed, transversely positioned partition in said handle that divides the interior of said handle into two compartments;

(d) two helical springs disposed in said compartments,

with the ends of said springs being in abutting contact with said partition;

(e) two cylindrical canisters in which condiments may be stored, the outer end portions are externally threaded, said canisters are slidably insertable in said compartments;

(f) two internally threaded covers having transverse cross section less than that of said handle, said covers threadedly engaging said threaded end portions of said canisters; and

3a 4 Y (g) a lug on each of said covers that slidably engages ments from said canisters and as supports for said one of said slots when said canister with which said lugs. lug is associated is slidably inserted in one of said compartments, with each of said lugs after insertion Y References Cited in the le 0f this Patent in one of said slots being longitudinally and rotatably 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS movable'thereinlto a first posrtion whereby said cover 1 176 871 St M 28 1916 and canister cannot be moved longitudinally out of" 2086368 S nner Jar said handle, each of said springs being of such length c el uly 6 1937 as to be compressed when said canister with which it 213021933 Barol NOV- 24 1942 Vis inrcontact is in said rst position to maintain said 10 436,646 Helme Feb- 241 1948 canister in said handle, said canisters and covers are 2,460,915 Auen Feb- 8, 1949 capable of being moved longitudinally and rotatably 2,467,762 Mafshalka Apr. 19, 1949 relative to said handle to permit withdrawal thereof 2,695,111 VOSS Nov. 23, 1954 from said handle, said covers serving the dual func- 2,707,550 COHCY May 3, 1955 tionV of preveting'inadvertent discharge of condi- 15 2,909,304 Powell Oct. 20, 1959 

